Slicing machine



March 19, 1935. H YERKEY 1,995,139

SLICING MACHINE Filed Nov. 23, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 19, 1935. H YERKEY l 1,995,139

SLIGING MACHINE Filed Nov. 25, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNE Y.

L wntzzizl w //f/V/Py V551/7 INVENTOR.

@lfm km -March 19, 1935. Hr YERKEY sLIcING MACHINE Filed Nov. 25, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 A TTORNE Y.

SLICING MACHINE Filed Nov. 23 1951 .4 Sheets-Sheet 4 TIE-[] /E/V/PY yEPA/EY INVENTOR.

A TTORE Y.

Patented Mar.` 19, 1935 I UNlrlzD STATES new `.SLICING MACHINE l Henry Yerkey, Galesburg, Ill.r n Application November 23, 1931, Serial No. 576,680

comms. (ci. 1464-100) The present invention relates to slicingv machines and more particularly to `such as are capable of being used for thefslicing of a plurality of commodities, either simultaneously or selectively.

Among the objects of this invention are to provide a machine `of the character indicated in which a single cutting blade'may be simultaneously or selectively used for the cutting of diiferent commodities, such as breadrv and bacon; to

provide a construction of the nature indicated which may be modified in` its operation, by two or three slight adjustments, so as to shift its cutting from one to the other of two commodities or may be set tocut both of them simultaneously;

to provide a structure of the character indicated which may be adjusted so as to vary the'thickness of the slice cut as desired; to provide a structure of the'character indicated which will simultaneously slice bacon and remove the rind therefrom; to provide a structure of the character indicated which will slice bacon andits rind and simultaneously'remove the rind from the slices; to provide a machine'of the character indicated which may be operated either manually or byfa motor and which isreadily convertible from one mode of operation to theother; and such further objects, advantages and capabilities as will hereafter appear and as are' inherent-inthe construction disclosed herein. My invention further resides in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings and, while I have shown there` in what is now considered the preferred 'embodiment of this invention, I desire the Asame to vbe understood as illustrative only and not' to be interpreted in. a limiting sense.

In the drawings annexed hereto a part hereof, A v

Fig. 1 is a plan view of my machine with parts thereof broken away; i l

l Fig. 2 is an end elevation of this construction;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 2, looking at the right hand figure; l

and forming Fig. 4 is a broken transverse section taken approximately along theplane indicatedy by the line 4-4,Fig3;

Fig. 5 is a .transverse section taken approximately along tli'e plane indicated yby Vthe line5-5, Fig. 3; Fig'. 6 is a transverse section taken approximately along the plane indicated by the line 6 6, Fis. 5;

Fig. --7 is a `fragmentary transverse section taken. approximately along the plane indicated by Fig. 8-is ,anv elevation of the form of cutting blade preferred for use in my-nevv machine.

' .Reference Will now bemade infgreaterldetal l to theannexed drawings wherein'the structure is shown as comprising a pair of end frames `1 and 2 having legs-3 and a body member l Acon-- necting theends, the ends being .held together by means of a plurality of rods 5,.which draw .the ends of the body-member 4 into suitablegrooves formed in the inner faces ofthe frame members 1 and 2. The lateral edges of thebody member; which is of sheet material,are krolled overas indicated at 6 and 7, ythe roll 6 surrounding one of the tie rods 5 and the other one rising above a shelf -A8 to serve as a lateral guide for agloafl of bread or the like resting upon said shelf. rThe edge ofthe shelf 8 is turned upwardly, asindicated at 9, and also assistsin guiding the bread and holding rsame in place. f I y integrally therewith. The driving fmechanism also includes the bevel gear 15,.shaft 16 and crank 17 or motor 18. 'As a matter of fact,both crankV tnd motor will be suppliedat least in some of the"l machines, so that the motor may be used wheny considerable cutting isto be ydonev or the crank may be used when only oneIor" twoi slices are to be cut. Ofy course 4the operator is not limited as thenumber of slices which are cut by hand and .PATENT fio-151211:i; f

he may use eitherl the crankv or the Vmotor, ,as

.most suits his fancy. The crank is illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 as being providedvwith a ratchet mechanism 19 which will permit theshaft 16.to be drivenlby the motor lvvithout turning'the crank 17. While the drive train between. the motor '18 and shaft 16 yis not'shown as being' equipped with a 'ratchet "mechanismi'similar to mechanismv 19, it will be understood `that' sucha mechanism maybe inserted at any convenient location in this drive ltrain without A'departing from the spirit of this invention.v -A bracket^20 secured tothe end frame 1 serves to support the shaft 16 and. Ifurnish bearings therefor. ,The housing 21 encases the wor-m22 and wormwhee'l 23 and is mounted-upon a bracketfZlusecured to `mounted upon these brackets.

' its cutting operation.

A pair of shafts 32 and 33 are provided with coarse threads, as shown in Fig. 3, yand have .the 'casing 45.

the adjacent leg 3 of the machine. The motor 18 is similarly mounted.

Sprockets 25 and 26 are mounted upon shafts 16 and 28 and are connected bythe sprocket chain 27 to furnish driving connection betwen the motor 18 and shaft 10.

Brackets 30 (see Fig. 2) are formed integral with they end frames and a guide plate 31 is This guide plate is adapted to be engaged by the edge of a slab of bacon placed in the machine and serves to guide the same straight ahead and prevent it from being moved laterally by the knife during fixedly mounted thereon within the flange 13 the gears 34 and 35. A series of perforations 36 are formed in the flange 13 and have plungers 37 mounted therein, which plungers are adapted to-serveas-gear teeth to mesh with the gears 34 and 35, as shown in Fig. 5. The plungers 37 have arms 38 extending laterally therefrom,V as shown in Fig. 6, and these arms are engaged by'springs 39whichforce'them out against the inner face of the ring 40. This ring has an enlargement upon` its inner face which serves as a cam to push the `plungers 37 out Yso thatV they will engage' ers `37 is.to give intermittent rotation to the shafts 32 and 33. This is done in orderto inproduct which is being sliced. f Blocks 42 and 43 are mountedupon the shafts 32 and'.33 and cooperate therewith in advancing the product being sliced toward cutting position. The block 42 has a channel 44 therein which receives the screw 32. A housing 45 isk mounted on top of the block 42'and has a block 46 therein which is cut on its lower face with suitable threads to mesh with the threads of the screw 32. A leaf spring 47 is held down by a suitable rod orthe. like 48 extending through This spring exerts' downward pressure upon the block 46 to hold it into engagementwith the screw 32. A cam 49 ismounted upon a rod 50 which rotates about itsv longitudinal axis to lift the block 46 rout of engagementwith the screw 32. Y occupies the position shown in Fig. 1, the threads on the under side of block v46 a'reinengagement with the threads of the screw 32. In this position,y block 42 will be intermittentlyv advanced as screw 32 is intermittently turned.

l lBlock 43 is constructed similarly to block 42 and has a shaft 50' extending into same for the operation of a threaded block similar to block 46. -The shaft 50 also has a handle 51 for operstructions are similar. i

'Extending-diagonally through block 42 are a pair ,ofrods 53- connected adjacent theirends by crossheads 54.and 55. The former 'of Athese serves as a-handle wherebywthe rodsgmayvbe pulled or pushed through the block 42, while member 4. It.y will therefore be seeny that,.in

7 ordertoplace a piece of meatv upon lthe tray or b'ott'om4, 'the cross head 54 is vraisedandfthis pulls the pins 5,61up far enough so thatthe'meat block42 is adjusted longitudinally `of the screw 32 until'the block 55 -is properly positioned the gears 34 and 35. As will be evident from' Fig. 5, the function of the gears 34, 35 and plungtermittently advance the bread, bacon or other.

and pushed outwardly, it presses against the `outer substantially circular part thereof. When the handle 51 ation thereof.l In these respects the two con the; latter carries pointed pins adapted to eny gage the meat resting upon the bottom or body can' be` put into "place, After this is done, the

lengthwise of the machine.y The cross head 54 is then pushed down to cause the pins 56 to engage the meat. The handle 51 is then manipulated to turn the shaft 0 in the right direction to cause release of block 46 so that its threads may engage the screw 32. After this has been done, the shaft 16 may be caused to rotate and this will cause operation of the machine. This causes functioning of the blade 11 and intermittent rotation of shaft 32. rThe latter results in intermittent.forward-.actuation of the meat.

An arm 58 extends laterally from the block 43 and is connected adjacent its extremity with a plate 59 carrying a plurality of pins 60. These are designed to be engaged by the commodity which is to be sliced at this side of the machine. This is intended primarily for the slicing of bread or the like. While it is intended that a loaf of bread shall be impaled upon the pins 60, it will be understood that this is not essential as the bread may be put down upon the shelf 8 infront of .the slide 59, ifdesired.

An arm 61 extends into a perforation in a lug 63, while an arm 62 extends into a longitudinal aperture in theshaft 10. These arms support a tray 64 upon which the sliced bread collects after passingout of the machine. Rods 65 extend through the end frame. of the machine-and are connected together outside thereof by means of a crosshead 66. Stops 65a are preferably mounted upon two ,ormore of the rods 65 'to serveas means for limiting the outward motion of this rcarrying rack. As the sliced meat is cut tend to keep the meat slices arranged in a suitable condition and ready to be handled.

Plates 67 are secured to the end frame member 2 'in any suitable manner and cover that part of theopeningthrough this frame member which is not utilized in the slicing operations. These plates have a tendency to keep the operator -from getting his hand in front of the cutting blade as it rotates during the slicing operation. Bars68 andv69 constitutea part of the end frame member 2 and are integral with the Centrally arranged with relation to this ringr and integral with the inner ends of the bars 68 and 69 is a disc 70 which,` furnishes bearing for one end of each of the shafts 32 and 33. `A comparable disc 71, at the Aopposite end of the machine, furnishes bearings for the remaining ends of these shafts. Suitable bearing elements may be mounted inv these `discs to furnish vproper ,wearing surface for the shafts.

circular frame member or it may be slightly ec.

centric with relation thereto. If it is mounted eccentricallywith relation ,to this frame member, the lower part ofthe path ofthe knife 72 should be spaced upwardly from the inner face of the frame member to accommodate the thickness ofthe rind between the frame member and the knife. The upper portion of the course of travel of this knife may be substantially' coincident -with the inner face of the upper part of thisring. vIf the'knife 72 vtravels concentrically with relation to thering,its pathof travel will be spaced -all the way aroundv the same'as at thebottom part of itscou'rse of travel; that is, far enough inwardly to vraccommodate the` thickness of the rind.` v

Pivotally connected at'73 withthe member 75 is an extension 74 of the blade 11. Member 75 is, in realitya pair of similar plates secured to the extremityv of` the blade 11 and the extension 74 is pivoted' to swingA between these plates. A blade actuatingvm'ember 76 is pivotedat 77 to member' 75 and-nasa part'80 which swings in a notch 78. In the position illustrated in Fig.2, this member holds the knife blade eXtension`74 outwardly so' as to' be substantiallyin contact with the end member'Z. Since the inner portion of this frame member 'extends inwardly somewhat as indicatedat 79, it will hold themeatup so that the. extension -74 will be sure to out through the same. When the actuating member 76 is turned'about its pivot 77 so that the part 80 engages the upstandinglug on the inward end of the 'blade 74, this latter will be turned about its pivot 73 and it will be fraised up f .-to-fa point Vsuch that this b1ade-will not cut through the rind.V Therefore, the blade `1l will slice bacon, blade 72 will remove the rind' therefrom, butA blade 74v willl not out the rind into strips, as it will do when turned down into the position illustrated in Fig.' 2. Points-81 project inwardly verysli'ghtl'y 'fronr the ring and thus te'ndto hold the meatfin place when the knife is! going through same.'v i

Reference has been made'to the ring 40 rotating withrespect'tof the 'flange 13 forthe purpose of pushing the plungers 37` out into position to actas gear teeth in rotating the gear '35. Reference ismade tothe 'fact that afgroove yis out in the flange 13 to receive the rin'gf 40an'd alsofto the fact that this ring is'severed, as indicated at 82. 4TheY ends of the ring are connected by a plate 83-whichis secured to the ends by means of screws or their equivalents 84. This plate 83 has a finger piece 85 turned up'and formed upon one edge thereof and this serves as a means for rotating the ring in the groove in flange 13. Upon one edge of the plate is formed an indicator point 86 which cooperates with the index marks 87 upon the ange 13 on discr12. Similar index marks may, if desired, be placed upon the flat face of the disc 12, adjacent the marks 87, and numerals may be added to indicate, for convenience, the thickness of theslice or something which may be translated into such thickness. It will be understood that by grasping the finger piece 85 and rotating the ring 40 about the flange 13 a greater or fewer number of the plungers or gear teeth 37 will be caused to-be projected inwardly to cause rotation of the gears 34 and 35. Also, the greater the distance these gears rotate,

the greater will be the thickness of the slices out.

In order to limit the amount which the ring may rotate, pins 90 and 91 are rigidly mounted in the flange 13 and it will therefore be seen that the ends of the cam on the inner surface of the ring 40 will abut against these pins, thus stopping further rotation of the ring.

In place of the blade 1l, shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, I prefer to use the blade shown in detail in Fig. 8 thereof. This blade is mounted on the shaft l0 in any suitable manner. In Fig. 8, theV collar 92 and set screw 93 have been omitted for the sake of simplifying the drawing.

The support lla does not have acutting edge,

as does the Vblade r11",101'isprovniedwini av pimz rality of blades`94 and 95 whichfmay' be'beveled to acutting edge on either or both faces. These blades may'besecuredto the supportA 11a by-s'uit able means, suchV as rivets.' The blade 94 isma'de., i-

somewhat larger than the blades 95 because 'the latterfare rather too 'small for use inthe position occupied by .theblade 94. The reasonfor-usin'g they smaller blades-94 and 95 is that these can-be held and given lthe'necessary temper with muchv less danger of Iwarping'than a blade of the-size of v11. Therefore, a cutting means ofthe char'h. acterillustratedin Fig. 8 is much'easiei" 'and cheaper to make than one of the'other type.y

The blade 74a -is slightly different infshape than theblade 74 but'is pivoted at 73 in thesame manner as'the blade 74.` The plates'75and 75a are 4v'somewhat different in formv butserve the same purpose in serving. as' supporting means for the pivoted blade'74a.- 'Ihevplate 75b'is1somewhat' larger 'thanthe plate 75a and carries'onfitsy outer extremity the rindtrimmingknife 72`which projects laterally into a position to remove the' rind from the meat. The knife 74a, in'thep'ositionl shown in Fig.` 8, vwill not cut beyond the point reached by the last -knife'95.* However, when the actuating`member 76av `is shove'dinwardl'y, the projection 80a engages the projection on the end ofthe blade 74a andforces this outwardly away from the support 11a, turning the cuttingedge of the blade74a farther away from the shaft end Therefore, this blade outs through the-rind of the meat, severing it fromY the rind `of the unsliced portion. The end of the actuatingmemberr 76a is provided with a hook 96 which engages the projection on thelend of the blade.l However, in view. of the provision'of the slot 97 and the pinv 98, the projection 96 may be dispensed with ifv desired. The slot 97-and pin 98 may be dispensed with by suitable construction ofthe device Awhich will prevent themember 76a; from being withdrawnby' member" 74a vbeing turned aboutits pivot '23.s'o as'to release thejhook 96.-5` f It is of course understood that the specific description of structure set forth above may be departed from without departing from the spirit of this invention as set forth in this specification and the appended claims. y

' Having now described my invention, I claim.:

1. In a slicing machine, a frame-work, fixed supporting means to support a plurality of products to be sliced, a rotary slicing knife, a rotatable shaft suporting and actuating said knife, actuating means for said shaft, shafts actuating the products into slicing position, means actuated by the last mentioned shaftsto transmit motion therefrom to the products tocause same to be advanced, means for selectively or simultaneously advancing the last mentioned means'to advance one or another of the products being sliced, and a trimming knife projecting laterally from the slicing knife adjacent the outer end of the latter,

the suporting means for the product to be sliced being located outwardly beyond the end of the slicing knife and at such` a point that it will hold the product in such a position that the trimtion. 1

therefrom to-,the products to cause vsame to` be advanced, andmeans for `selectively or -simulta; neously, advancing the last mentioned means toA advance one lor another ofcthejproducts'being sliced, in which one of the productsupporting means isk partially cylindrical. and is located coaxially with relation 4to theg knife-supporting shaft and `in which the slicing knife extendsoutyvvardly to a distance less than` the` outer surface of the meat rind supported on saidl cylin'dricalsup-- porting means and has an auxiliary knife which may be turned rinto a position to cut entirely through themeat rind.` y 3. In a slicing machine, a shaft, a slicing knife having'a rigid body portion and an extension connected adjacent the outer extremity thereof, said extension being mounted for pivotal motion in the plane` of the bodyportion, said knife'being rigidly securedto said shaft Iandrotated thereby to slice a product which itis desired to have sliced andathe'extension when turned intooperative position, serving 'to increase the effective cuttingl lengthof the main portion ofthe slicing g4. A vstructure asv defined by` claim 3 in Which the vslicing Yblade is provided with handled means for holding-the auxiliary bladeout in cutting po. sition or draWingthe'sa-me into inoperative posii5. ,In` a slicing machinava rotaryrslicingi knife, a shaft Ycarrying and rotating said knife, a plurality of threaded shafts adjacent the first mentioned shaft for intermittently advancing articlesA to be sliced into the path-of ,theV slicing knife,

means attached to the first' mentioned shaft fory rotating the samefsaid means'having a flange directed 'toward'.the slicing( knife, said fiange having a plurality of iperforations j extending therethrough and spaced around' a portion of its periphery,` plungers mounted `in ,said perforationsand movable therein to be extended beyond either the inner or outer face of the, flange Vand by 'the last mentioned shaftsto transmit motion adapted in one position to serve ,as gear teeth, gears mounted upon and secured to said plurality of shafts andgadapted to coperate with the plungers extending through the ange, and means for actuating one ormore of said plungers into a position to coperate With said gears.

6. yA structure as defined by claim 5 in which the `means for actuating the plungers comprises a` ring mounted on said flange and rotatable therea'bout, said ring having upon its inner face a cam portion to coperate with said plungers in causing same to be moved through said flange.

'7. In a slicing machine, a slicing member comprising a flat body part having its outer periphery` curved and extending from a point near the axis of rotation to aV point remote therefrom, said flat-supporting member having cutting blades mounted thereon soq'that each successive blade cuts a greater distance from the axis of rotation than its predecessors, said slicing member having at-,itsouter extremity an auxiliary blade pivoted to be actuated from a positionin Which it will not cut farther-out than the first mentioned blades to aposition in which it will cut beyond V the limitof the other blades.`

y8. In a slicing machine, a rotary slicing-member comprising a flat body parthaving its outer periphery curved and extending from a point near the axis of rotation of the slicing member to av vpoint, remote therefrom, said flat body part havingcutting blades mounted thereon so that each successive blade c uts a greater distance from the axis Vof' rotation than its predecessors, said n HENRY YERKEY.- 

